So who is the richest person and biggest financier of the New Patriotic Party today? Could it be Bawumia? Obetsebi-Lamptey? Nana Akuffo-Addo? Addo Kuffour ( former President’s Kuffour’s brother), Kennedy Agyapong of Oman FM or the newly elected Ashanti chairman of NPP, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako aka Chairman Wontumi? Well, it is said in our local parlance that “Action Speaks Louder than Words” and also that “Let’s Money Talk”…..So which action is speaking and which money is talking? Could recent events in Ghana especially in the Ashanti region be any testament that a new guy is emerging as the most powerful person in the New Patriotic Party via his wealth and his “ultimate” care for the party in the region?
In politics, fiscal power always counts, and it is argued that most of the time, big donors to party cause abroad rarely seek public attention but stay behind the scene to let their 6 figures do the talking. Could this experience be happening in Ghana today with the emergence of Chairman Wontumi? What exactly did he do?
Well, according to the Highstreetmail.com online news site, Chairman Wontumi has donated a posh 3 storey building in the heart of Kumasi for use as the regional NPP headquarters. How much the building is worth is not mentioned but for someone to make a huge infrastructural donation to equip the party with such a resources is one thing that makes a difference.
The following quotes from the Daily Guide can give you the reader a clearer picture…..”Wontumi told Daily Guide in an exclusive interview on Sunday after shortly paying the money that the new office complex would officially be opened to the public on January 22, 2013.
He announced plans to brand the entire building in the party’s colours to beautify it.
Wontumi noted that he would also refurbish offices and rooms in the building before the official commissioning.
He told the paper that the party’s current regional office at Bantama doesn’t befit the status of the formidable political party, hence his decision to rent a decent place for the party.
“I decided to pay for a building because I love the party with all my heart and I think this is one of the things I can do to show my love to the NPP.”
He said loyal members of the opposition party must contribute both in cash and kind to help make the party attractive to more people.
Wontumi said the imposing edifice could serve the needs of executives in Brong Ahafo region, among others.”
Could this gesture go to suggest that the NPP is now blessed with new wealthy and generous business tycoon who might possibly be richer than the vociferous and big talker Assin North MP Kennedy Agyapong and is about to change how things are done in the party?
If anything is to go by, the events leading to the holding of the regional chairmanship elections in the Ashanti region where money was generously “dashed” to supporters and party sympathizers with drivers of commercial vehicles carrying posters of Wontumi, then we are almost near to the point to say that this “Wontumi” chairman has come to impact the party.
He is also reported to have paid GHc 20,000.00 to cover the nomination fees of all those who contested for the regional executive positions. With such a huge financial power comes with voice, so our questions is “Which direction would the party go?” For that question, we cannot easily answer till we get straight with our background check research on who the man of the moment, Bernard Antwi-Boasiako is.